Recognizing Foreign Construction Credentials

UBC Bridge to Red Seal project to support 1,500 internationally trained workers

VAUGHAN, ON, March 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Helping more Canadian newcomers with foreign credentials write the Red Seal exam and join the construction industry workforce is the focus of a new United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) Canadian District project.

The UBC Bridge to Red Seal project, funded in part by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Program, will support 1,500 internationally trained workers by providing prior learning assessments, theory training, and language supports to assist them in getting their foreign credentials recognized and writing their Red Seal exam. 

The need for more skilled construction workers nationally is acute, with BuildForce Canada estimating that roughly 350,000 individuals must be hired over the next decade to support growth and retirements. Budget 2024 invested $50 million over two years in the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, focusing on sectors like construction to accelerate the integration of skilled trades workers. 

"As a country, we need to ensure that more skilled tradespeople enter the workforce to build the homes, hospitals, schools and other critical infrastructure that Canadians rely on. At the Carpenters' Union, we know it is especially important to attract and retain individuals that have prior construction experience," explains Jason Rowe, Vice President, UBC Canadian District. "It is a huge deterrent to enter or continue in the skilled trades if your previous work experience and education are not recognized. When faced with the prospect of starting an apprenticeship over again at first term wages, many new immigrants end up leaving construction to pursue other careers. UBC Bridge to Red Seal aims to solve this problem in a way that will both improve economic outcomes for over

1,000 newcomers and help Canada meet its labour supply challenges."

To help newcomers continue their construction careers, the project will develop assessment tools to evaluate the work experience of these internationally trained trades: Carpenter, Lather (Interior Systems Mechanic), Industrial Mechanic (Millwright), and Welder. 

The project will also provide assistance with navigating provincial trades organizations for recognition of hours and credentials. Specialized curriculum will be created to help participants bridge their theoretical knowledge gap in order to challenge the interprovincial Red Seal exam.

"Immigrants already face plenty of challenges when adjusting to life in a new country – relearning a trade to which they have already dedicated years of their lives, should not be one of them," says Jesse Johnsen, Project Director of the UBC Bridge to Red Seal. "Helping experienced tradespeople gain Canadian certification not only addresses our country's skilled labour needs, but is also simply the right thing to do."

The UBC Canadian District will receive $9,023,177 from the Foreign Credential Recognition program to fund UBC Bridge to Red Seal over a 4-year term.

"We're strengthening the workforce to meet the needs of tomorrow's economy—more workers, more jobs, to build our country and economy." Said Minister Mackinnon, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour. "By removing barriers to credential recognition, we're helping internationally trained tradespeople get to work faster. The UBC Bridge to Red Seal program is a great example of how we can connect skilled workers with in-demand jobs, driving growth and supporting the construction industry."

SOURCE UBC Canadian District